Field Report



National Coral Reef Monitoring Program - Climate Monitoring Coral Reef Conservation Program & Ocean Acidification Program Field report from Dry Tortugas Research Cruise -


Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration


Nicole Besemer
Ana Palacio
Ian Enochs


July 2021

Summary

Work under the National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP) was completed in the Dry Tortugas National Park over the course of five days from June 25th through June 29th, 2021. Work was conducting aboard the R/V ANGARI (ANGARI Foundation) and conducted utilizing permits DRTO-2020-SCI-0010 and DRTO-2020-SCI-0011. During these operations, the following deliverables were successfully met:

Map of Study locations in Dry Tortugas National Park

Map of Study locations in Dry Tortugas National Park

Personnel: Nicole Besemer (Chief Scientist), Graham Kolodziej, Nathan Formel, Anderson Mayfield and Patrick Kiel.

Total working dives logged: 63


Data collected

Temperature Data

Summary plots from all 4 Subsurface Temperature Recorders (STRs) collected at our study site locations. The 1m, 5m, and 15m collected data for the full deployment. The 25m STR stopped collecting on Febuary 7th 2020. Though data hasnt been fully analyzed, preliminary findings show normal seasonal variations with some peaks likely associated with X

Plot option 1: need colors

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Figure 1: Temperature data is collected for 3 years at four different sites in the Dry Tortugas at 1 m (Pulaski Shoal Lighthouse), 5m (white-shoal15m), 15m (Bird Key Reef) and 25 m (Black Coral Rock)


Diurnal Suite Deployment

Four instruments are used in out diurnal deployment to collect 72 hours of data to detect diurnal fluctuations in water quality conditions. SeaBird SeaFETs are used to collect pH data, Lowell Tiltmeters collect data on current, EcoPar’s collect light data and Submerged automated samplers (SAS) collect water samples to validate the instruments and collect additional water quality parameters. These instruments were deployed at our Bird Key Reef Site from June 25th to June 28th:

Figure 2: pH, Temperature and current data collected from Bird Key Reef


Current Data

Lowell Instruments Tiltmeters are used to collect data on current movement. The below data was collected from a Lowell Instruments tilt meter deployed from June 25th to June 28th:

Figure 3: bla bla bla

Describe current results here


Light Data

EcoPARs are used to collect light intensity data for a period of time at underwater reef sites.

WHAT is the depth?

Figure 4: EcoPar data represented in PAR from the 72 hour deployment at Bird key Reef